I’m mostly refering to this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission#U.S._institutions_that_are_need-blind_for_U.S._applicants_and_meet_full_demonstrated_need. list. For example, Boston College, Claremont McKenna College, Georgetown, University of Notre Dame, Pomona College, Northwestern etc.
I am a white male, 25 y.o. I was granted refugee status and moved to the USA a little more than a year ago. I am a citizen of Eastern Europe country but I am living in USA right now and I’m a lawful permanent resident here(refugee status). My major ideally would be Information Systems or, if college doesn’t offer this program, then something Business related.
My Highschool GPA is lower than 3.0, 2.5 or something like that. My motherland’s college GPA was 2.6. I studied there for 4 years but haven’t finished because I applied for refugee status and my degree would be useless in the USA. I am currently enrolled in Community College. My GPA there now is 3.6, after this semester it will probably be 3.5. There was a 4 year break between my motherland college and community college in USA
My EC: 1st rank in Chess, participated in many junior championships, won some of them, participated in many championships of my country and once in a Europe championship. Sambo for 4+ years. I’ve also studied German for 5+ years mostly on my own and used to be practically fluent in it, don’t remember much now. If I refresh my memory, I think I’ll be able to get back to profficient level in few months. I also used to trade and mine bitcoins&altcoins back when it was profitable. I don’t mine them anymore but still, follow news and trade a lot. Not sure if I should even mention it.
I have also been working for 7 years. I had my own business back in my country and it was somewhat successful, especially by my country’s standarts I earned a lot. Before I opened my logistics company I worked in another company first as logistics specialist, then as the head of logisitcs department. When I moved here, I havent worked during my first semester at CC and had 4.0. Then I started working full-time while studying full-time and GPA kinda went down to 3.5.
I can write really good essays. I know for sure that they will make me stand out among others if I describe the experience I went through. I’m also a first-generation student.
Basically I have never even thought about out of state colleges, but I found this option and I just wanted to know if I should even try. I know that my GPA in CC isn’t really good and my GPA back in my motherland is beyond bad for these type of colleges, but I wanted to know if my work experience and “hooks” can make up for it? I think that working full-time while studying full-time isn’t really an excuse to get 3.5 and for the whole downward trade. Will 3.6 make a huge difference by the way? There is a very small chance I might get 3.6 after this semester. I will probably get accepted into my state school, just not into their business program so I’m thinking if I should be applying somewhere else or not. I also have to pay like $70 for transcrips to each college so I don’t think I can use shotgun method cause it just would be too expensive. I’m basically aiming for 20%-30% acceptance rate private colleges. Do you think I have a chance? I really want to stop working full-time and just focus on studying.